Effects of empathy training on psychological concerns and empathy in caregivers of older people: A randomized, double-blind, crossover, clinical trial with follow-up

Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto; Bruna Moretti Luchesi; Marisa Matias; Marcos Hortes Nisihara Chagas

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.02.024

Effects of empathy training on psychological concerns and empathy in caregivers of older people: A randomized, double-blind, crossover, clinical trial with follow-up

Geriatr Nurs. 2024 Mar 6:57:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.02.024. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto¹, Bruna Moretti Luchesi², Marisa Matias³, Marcos Hortes Nisihara Chagas⁴

Affiliations

¹ Research Group on Mental Health, Cognition and Aging, Department of Psychology Center for Education and Human Sciences. Rodovia Washington Luís, Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCar, km 235, São Carlos, SP CEP: 13565-905, Brazil. Electronic address: mmaximianopsi@gmail.com.
² Research Group on Mental Health, Cognition and Aging, Department of Psychology Center for Education and Human Sciences. Rodovia Washington Luís, Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCar, km 235, São Carlos, SP CEP: 13565-905, Brazil; Três Lagoas Campus, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil.
³ Center for Psychology at University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
⁴ Research Group on Mental Health, Cognition and Aging, Department of Psychology Center for Education and Human Sciences. Rodovia Washington Luís, Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCar, km 235, São Carlos, SP CEP: 13565-905, Brazil; Neurociences and Behavioral Sciences Department, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.

PMID: 38452492
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2024.02.024

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the effects of empathy training on psychological concerns and empathy in caregivers of older people.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, crossover, clinical trial with follow-up was conducted online. Thirty paid and unpaid caregivers of older people from different regions of Brazil participated in an empathy training program. The caregivers answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and measures for the evaluation of empathy (affective and cognitive domains), burden, the impact of providing care as well as depressive symptoms and psychiatric symptoms before and immediately after training. Empathy and its domains were also assessed at three post-intervention follow-ups.

Results: Empathy training diminished levels of psychological concerns. Moreover, an increase was found in levels of cognitive empathy 15, 30 and 60 days after the intervention.

Conclusions: Empathy training with a focus on cognitive empathy diminished psychological concerns in caregivers of older people and increased the levels of this ability over time. This intervention can be considered a coping strategy for negative impacts related to providing care.

Keywords: Burden; Empathy; Gerontology; Older person; Online; Randomized clinical trials; Social abilities.